Environmentally sealed electrical connector

Abstract

A sealed electrical connector is disclosed in which both the plug and receptacle portions are completely sealed from the normal atmospheric environment in both the connected and disconnected conditions. Each of the plug and receptacle members is provided with a normally closed sealing diaphragm extending across the mating ends thereof to protect the contacts enclosed thereby from moisture, dirt, etc. The diaphragms are opened, when the connectors are mated, by the male pin contact which extends through both sealing diaphragms to engage in the female receptacle contact. The subject connector obviates the need for a cover, which must be removed prior to mating the plug into the receptacle, and thus mating of the plug into the receptacle can be accomplished using one hand only.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrical connector which is sealed in a weather tight condition in both the mated and unmated conditions, said connector comprising: a plug member including a housing having a mating face on one end, a plurality of contact receiving bores passing through said housing and opening onto said mating face, a like plurality of contacts each connected to a respective one of a plurality of conductors of a cable and received in a respective one of said bores with said contact directed towards said mating face, first sealing means covering said mating face of said connector, said first sealing means having a like plurality of normally closed slots each positioned in alignment with a respective one of said bores and said contacts, and second sealing means at the other end of said member effecting a fluid tight seal between said cable and said plug member;   a receptacle member including a plug member receiving recess closed at one end by a contact receiving block with a mating face directed inwardly of said recess, a plurality of contact receiving bores in said block leading to said mating face, a sealing assembly mounted for reciprocal movement in said recess, said sealing assembly including a sealing diaphragm having an outer periphery in wiping engagement with the inner periphery of said plug member receiving recess and a plurality of normally closed slots therein each disposed above a respective one of said contact bores, a rigid support plate having apertures therein aligned with said slots, a spring member attached to said plate and said receptacle housing allowing limited reciprocal movement of said sealing assembly within said recess and a hood extending from said receptacle housing substantially enclosing said plug receiving recess, a slot in said hood extending the length of a bottom portion thereof whereby a buildup of moisture and particles in said hood is prevented; and   latching means adapted to secure said plug member and said receptacle member together in a mated condition and including a detent on one of said members and a latching lever operatively mounted on the other of said members to resiliently engage said detent.   
     
     
       2. A sealed electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said latching means comprises: a fixed detent on said plug member, and   a latching lever operatively mounted on said receptacle member to resiliently engage said detent.   
     
     
       3. A sealed electrical connector according to claim 1 further comprising: an outwardly directed mounting flange integral with said receptacle member whereby said member can be mounted on a bulkhead.   
     
     
       4. A sealed electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said second sealing means effects a fluid tight seal between each of a plurality of conductors attached to the respective contacts and said plug member, said second sealing means having an outer profile matching that of said plug member housing and a plurality of profiled conductor sealing apertures each defined by an integral truncated conical portion and a cylindrical portion, the inner dimension of said cylindrical portion being less than the outer dimension of the conductor received therein. 
     
     
       5. A sealed electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said contacts in said plug member are receptacle contacts and said contacts in said receptacle member are pin contacts which extend through the respective slots in said sealing means and said sealing assembly to mate with the corresponding receptacle contacts. 
     
     
       6. A sealed electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said first sealing means on said plug member further comprises an integral outwardly directed flange effecting sealing engagement between said plug and said receptacle members in the mated condition. 
     
     
       7. A sealed electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said second sealing means comprises cable sealing means effecting a fluid tight seal between the conductor cable and said plug member, said cable sealing means comprising a substantially tubular unit having a radially outwardly flared flange at one end mating with the profile of said plug member, a profiled cable engaging seal on the other end including an integral assembly of a truncated conical portion and a cylindrical portion having an internal diameter of lesser dimensions than the external diameter of said cable whereby sealing engagement therebetween is effected, and   means to tightly secure said flange against said plug member.   
     
     
       8. A sealed electrical connector according to claim 7 further comprising: an annular member engaging said flange, and   said means to tightly secure said flange comprises an annular threaded member having an inwardly directed flange engaging said annular member and with the threaded portion engaging said connector member.   
     
     
       9. A sealed electrical connector according to claim 1 further comprising a strain relief assembly, said assembly including a rigid tubular member having means on a first end to detachably engage said connector member and cable clamping means on the other end to grip at least one conductor therein.   
     
     
       10. A sealed electrical connector according to claim 9 wherein said at least one conductor comprises an electrical cable. 
     
     
       11. A sealed plug member for an electrical connector, said plug member comprising: a housing having a mating face on one end and at least one contact receiving bore leading to said face and, a groove about the periphery of said housing spaced from said mating face,   a like number of contacts each connected to a respective conductor and received in a respective one of said bores directed toward said mating face,   first sealing means enclosing said mating face, said first sealing means including a diaphragm portion extending across said mating face and an integral flange portion having an inwardly directed lip engaging in said groove, said first sealing means having a normally closed slot disposed over each said bore, said normally closed slot being in said diaphragm portion, and   second sealing means at the other end of said housing effecting a fluid tight seal between said conductors and said housing.   
     
     
       12. A sealed plug member according to claim 11 further comprising: a radially outwardly directed flange integral with said first sealing member for effecting a wiping and sealing engagement with a respective receptacle member.   
     
     
       13. A sealed plug member according to claim 11 further comprising: means to secure said plug member in a respective receptacle member.   
     
     
       14. A sealed plug member according to claim 11 further comprising: a conductor strain relief assembly including a rigid member having means on one end to detachably engage said housing and means on the other to fixedly engage at least one conductor.   
     
     
       15. A sealed plug member according to claim 11 wherein said housing has a profiled cross section for keyed mating of said plug in a respective receptacle member. 
     
     
       16. A sealed plug member according to claim 11 wherein said contacts are receptacle contacts. 
     
     
       17. A sealed plug member according to claim 11 further comprising: a second sealing member having integral first flange means engaging with said housing, and   integral second flange means defining at least one restricted opening having an inner diameter less than the outer diameter of a conductor received therein to effect a seal therebetween.   
     
     
       18. A sealed plug member according to claim 17 wherein said second sealing member is substantially planar and a plurality of second flange means are formed therein. 
     
     
       19. A sealed plug member according to claim 17 wherein said second sealing member is substantially tubular with said first flange means on one end and said second flange means on the other end. 
     
     
       20. A sealed plug member according to claim 17 further comprising: means to secure said second sealing member to said housing comprising an annular member having means to detachably engage said housing and to bias said sealing member against said housing.   
     
     
       21. A sealed receptacle member for an electrical connector, said member comprising: a housing defining a plug receiving recess and hood means projecting from said housing and surrounding said recess, and a slot in said hood means extending the length of a bottom portion thereof whereby buildup of moisture and debris in said hood means is prevented,   a contact block closing one end of said recess with a mating face directed into said recess, a plurality of contact receiving bores in said block opening onto said mating face, and a like plurality of contacts each connected to a respective conductor of a cable and mounted in a respective one of said bores with said contact directed toward said mating face,   a sealing assembly comprising a diaphragm having an outer perphery in wiping engagement with inner periphery of said plug receiving recess, said diaphragm having a plurality of normally closed slots disposed in alignment with each said contact receiving bore, a rigid plate having a plurality of apertures in allignment with said slots and supporting said diaphragm substantially across the entire surface thereof, and spring means resiliently securing said assembly for reciprocal movement within said recess, and   latching means adapted to secure a plug member therein in a mated condition.   
     
     
       22. A sealed receptacle member according to claim 2 further comprising: flange means integral with said housing to mount said member on a panel.   
     
     
       23. A sealed receptacle member according to claim 2 wherein said recess has a profiled cross section to provide polarized mating of a corresponding plug member 
     
     
       24. A second receptacle member according to claim 21 wherein: said latching means comprises a resiliently mounted lever in said housing adapted to engage and secure a plug member received in said receptacle member.   
     
     
       25. A sealed receptacle member according to claim 21 further comprising: means mounting said latching means in said housing, said mounting means having a predetermined shear strength whereby said latching means will release upon application of sufficient force to a plug member secured thereby before damage occurs to said connector.   
     
     
       26. A sealed receptacle member according to claim 21 further comprising: a sealing member having integral first flange means engaging with said housing, and   integral second flange means defining at least one restricted opening having an inner diameter less than the outer diameter of a conductor received therein to effect a seal therebetween.   
     
     
       27. A sealed receptacle member according to claim 21 further comprising: a conductor strain relief assembly including a rigid member having means on one end to detachably engage said housing and means on the other end to fixedly engage at least one conductor.   
     
     
       28. A sealed receptacle member according to claim 21 wherein said contacts comprise pin contacts capable of projecting through said slots upon depression of said sealing assembly whereby mating with corresponding contacts is effected.